


Let's Do This Right

by doncasterly



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, RPF, Reunions, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 20:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/642668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doncasterly/pseuds/doncasterly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two years since Archie's had contact with anyone. Has he changed? Would he be any different?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Do This Right

It was all because he couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for god knows how long, he gave up, tossing the blanket aside, and reaching for his phone. He took to mindlessly scrolling through his contacts, hoping the dull task would lull his brain into relaxation. Thumbing through the list seemed to work the further down he got and he was prepared to shut the thing off, eyes drooping, when he came across a number; his number. Archie.

Was he still on his mission? All of the sudden, he realized that he had no idea when the kid was coming home. He would have no way of knowing, since communication is strictly forbidden. He sat there in the dark, the blue glow the only source of light, suddenly sick with nostalgia. A dull ache settled in his chest, weighing him down, and he actually had to lay back against the pillow, closing his eyes briefly from the pain.

Visuals swam before his eyes, clouding him with memories of days long past; dinner, movies, lazy days on the couch exchanging kisses, Archie's breathy giggle on his lips. A lump formed in his throat, threatening tears, but he pushed that feeling aside. Instead, he sat up, an idea forming in his head. Going through the numbers again, he found Lupe's, pressing dial, not even thinking about what time it was. Only when she answered did the realization hit him.

"Shit." 

"David?"

The color drained from his face. "No, Lupe, that wasn't towards-" He sighed, hitting his forehead into his palm. "Look, I'm sorry I called you this late. I just...I couldn't sleep."

She chuckled, warm and gentle. "So, you called me? I mean, not that I mind. I love hearing from you, but..." There was a quick second of silence and when she spoke again, her voice was quiet. "You were thinking of David."

"That obvious, huh? God, I feel like I'm thirteen again."

"I miss him, too."

The pain in her voice brought him out of his embarrassing stupor and he suddenly felt really stupid, bringing up Archie when he knew that Lupe had it worse, being his mother. "Listen, I'm sorry-"

"It's alright," she cut him off and he could just see the wave of her hand and he found himself smiling at the very thought. "I was actually going to save this for tomorrow, but seeing as how I'm talking to you now..." 

\-----

He was going to get out of the car. Eventually. For now, he sat there, drumming the steering wheel nervously, practically white-knuckling it, until he couldn't stand it anymore. He gulped down his panic, making his way towards the lobby, schedule in hand. He was too jittery to sit, so he stood, double and triple checking the paper, staring at the arrival time until it bore into his skull, sure to leave an imprint.

The flight number poured out of the speaker just then, shaking him to the very core, and he swore loudly, gathering himself, focusing his attention toward the gate, eyes scanning every which way. It was a good ten minutes before a flood of people made their way through and he took deep, easy breaths; a vain attempt to keep calm. It's been two years since Archie's had contact with anyone. Has he changed? Would he be any different?

He was so lost in thought that he nearly missed him. The schedule fell out of his hand, landing on the floor with a flutter, and he bent down to pick it up. When he straightened up, a jolt of excitement ran up his spine, making his stomach go cold. He was a few feet away from him, but there he was. Same black hair, same hazel eyes, same smile that made his knees go weak.

Same Archie.

It was a scene straight out of a movie. He crumbled the paper up, tossing it in the nearest garbage can, and sprinted towards the kid, only stopping to swoop him up in his arms, hugging him tightly. 

"Cook!" Archie exclaimed, returning the embrace, voice muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "It's been a while." 

"Two years too long." He didn't mean for it to come out bitter, but it did and Archie noticed, backing off slowly. "I didn't mean it...like that.." he added weakly, hand going to Archie's shoulder, "I just meant that...well, I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Archie's eyes were bright, glassy; a tell-tale sign that he was holding back tears. "A lot." He stepped toward Dave carefully, absolutely timid, and it almost felt like they were sixteen and twenty-four again, meeting on Idol for the first time. He reached for Dave's hand, lightly linking fingers. "Can we go? I'm starving."

"Sure. I'll treat."

It was something, having Archie in the car next to him, babbling on and on about his mission and catching up on things. He would glance over every now and then, completely taken aback by how much he had grown in the last two years. He had to bite back his tongue, swallowing the word "kid" because he was twenty-two now, most certainly not a child anymore, and that familiar ache was back, burying itself deep into his heart. He had missed two years of Archie's life; two birthdays, two anniversaries. It was surreal, having him back in his life.

They stopped at a local diner, grabbing a quick bite to eat, and when their order came (cheeseburgers with fries and two milkshakes), Archie dug in gratefully. "I'm so hungry," he emphasized, holding the huge burger and taking a bite, "I was going to eat on the plane, but I was so excited, I couldn't."

"Couldn't wait to come home, huh?"

"Yeah." He giggled, sipping from the equally huge milkshake, taking the cherry in between his fingers and playing with it. "I can't wait to see everyone else."

"I bet." Dave smiled, eating away at the tiny mountain on his plate. "You missed me the most, though, right?"

"Of course, I did. I mean, you know, besides my mom."

They dissolved into laughter, enjoying each other's company, that strange surreal feeling fading away as they finished their meal. Soon enough, they were back in Dave's car, making their way to Lupe's place, and before they could blink, they were there. He pulled into the driveway, trying to ignore the knots that formed in his stomach.

"Oh, my gosh, I'm home! Wow, I can't believe it..." Archie trailed off, looking out the window, and he yanked off his seat belt, anxious to go in, and Dave freaked out, hitting the lock button, holding them captive inside the vehicle. Archie turned around, looking at him with utter confusion. "Can I...go out?"

He reached forward, grabbing Archie's hand, pulling him in close; a makeshift hug. Archie squirmed for a second, completely lost, but it passed just as quickly, and he settled into the contact, wrapping an arm around him, rubbing his face against his cheek. The two sat there in welcomed silence, savoring this, savoring them, and when Dave went to speak, his voice was shaky; uncertain.

"I just want to make sure that everything is still the same between us. We're still toge-"

"I love you."

He leaned back, hands moving from Archie's back to his face, cupping his cheeks. Thumbs grazed along that soft skin, the warmth radiating through his fingertips, and he broke, a tear escaping his eye, sliding down his face. He sniffed, a very attractive sound, but Archie didn't seem to notice or care because he held his gaze, wiping away that tear, and moved in steadily, lips hovering over his own; an offer. An invitation to pick this back up. Where they left off. 

He accepted, pressing into Archie like he absolutely needed it. Feeding off of his kiss hungrily, absorbing the touch and feel of that mouth against his own like he required food or air or water. In that moment, nothing changed. There was no mission, no lonely nights. It was just them, the way it should be.


End file.
